Typographical slug-casting machine



Feb, 12, 1929.

G. E. MARLATT TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE S Sheets-Sheet 1N VENTOR Originalfiled Oct. 5, 1926 (#4 o -tw I 8 l. w 2 z 1 m R. 0 n W l 1 l e e .l n "m m 1 m I 0.. H I. B w M M l Tm, T15 w m m m 4 AG ww c ELF M@ mm I up 0 am 4 0 w fl Feb. 12, 1929.

3 Sheets$heet 3 G. E. MARLATT Original Filed Oct. 5, 1926 TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE Feb idatented Feb. 12, 1929.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Gnonen' n. MARLAT'I, or PASADENA, CALIFORNIA."

TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG-GASTHIG MACHINE.

* i Applicatioirflled October -5, 1926;Se1ia1 No. 129,717. Renewed July 5, 1928.

senting wordsythe woros being separated byexp-ansible spacers (usually designated spacebands), the line being then transferred to the face ofa mold in which a type-slug is cast against the assembled matrices and spacers.

The final movement of the assembled'line to its position in front of the mold is in a vertical direction in and with a movable organ commonly known as the first elevator. The.

matrices are provided with mold-engaging lugs which enter a selected and predetermined one or more of grooves in the face of the mold, the engagement of the lugs with the grooves being incidental to the movement of the mold against the line of matrices and V spacers. hen thus engaged, the elevator'inoves slightly upward in order to insure vertical alinement of the matrices by pressing their moldengaging lugs against either a rib which separates the grooves in: the mold or against the rib which. separates the highest groove from the mold casting-slot. While thus alined the wedge part of the eapansible spacers isdriven up between the words composing the line, causing the line to be expanded to fill the space between a pair of casting jaws in which it is confined endwise while in front of the mold. Heretofore the distance which the spacer wedges may be driven upwardhas been a fixed distance detern'iined by contact of the wedge driver with the under edge of the casting jaws. This fixed and limited movement of'the driver has a disadvantage due to the fact that when the matrices are engaged with the upper groove in the mold the spacers do not have their full expansive effect, and this is particularly objectionable for the reason that the largest matrices such as require wide spacing between words are of necessity made to engage the upper groove. A feature of my present.improvements is designed to eliminate the above-noted objectionable limitation by rendering the spacer driver movable to varying distances according to the position of the matrices relative to the mold. A closely related feature is concerned with means for preventing the matrices from being inadveit tently presented to the mol'tl at a higher level than is provided for as determined by the po sition of the highest groove on the mold;

also I provide that this feature may co opcrate with a mold having three positioning grooves, the usual number thereof being but two. The manner of attaining the objectives mentioned is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of a slug-casting machine of the lin otype class, showing my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan projection of Fig. 1, showing the path of the assembled lines from the assembler to the first elevator, and the relation thereto of my improved devices for insuring proper alinement of the inatriceswith the mold grooves, with the primary alining stop inoperative and thesecondaiy alining stop operative; A i I Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the primary alining stop operative and the secondary alining stop inoperative;

Figxfl is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing both alining stops in inoperative position as a result of assembling the matrices at a conflicting level in the assembler.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show matrices at three different levels in front of the mold, the levels thereof being determined by the size of their letter-characters. These three views also showthe spacer wedges asfdriven from and to three different levels according to the level of the associated matrices.

Fig.8 showsa detail in the several positions to and from which it is shiftable;

Fig. 9 is a perspectiveof a fragment of the first elevator, showing a detailv of my. spacerdriver control applied thereto.

Fig. 10 is a section on; the line 33 of Fig. 1,- showing the co-operative relation of my improvements one with the other; a

Fig. 11. is a View as from the rearof Fig; l.

The matrices X may be assembled at either of two levels in the assembler A, according to whether'their lower lugsX are supported on or below. an upper assembling rail A; or, part of aline of matrices may be assembled on the rail A and the other part at the lower level. If the mold M is provided with three grooves M M M matrices assembled at the upper level will be presented to the mold with their lower lugs in. engagement with the middle groove as indicated in Fig. 11, unless one of the first elevator aligning-stops G or H is in operative position between adjustment screws E E and the frame F on which the first elevator is" movable, in which case the matrices assembled at the upper level will be presented for engagement with the upper groove M But if both aliniiig stops (III G, H are in operative position and the matrices are resented to the mold after having been assembled at the upper level, then their lower lugs X would, in the absence of a preventative, be struck by the mold-slot lip M at the upper level and transferred-to the intermediate channel when the assembler is elevated to aline therewith, then the matrices will engage the inner edge of the lever D and force it out of their channel C. For the purpose of such engagement the edge of the lever, when in operative position recedes towards its pivot D to a point outside the path of the matrices. lVhen thus torced out of thechannel C the lever D ser es to cause the alining stops G, H (one or both, optionally) to move from operative position so that the elevator E may present the matrices to the mold in a sate position. In order that the lever I) may thus serve, I provide t'ol lows:

@ne of the alining stops G, which maybe considered the primary stop for the reason that it is most convenient to the operator, is mounted for pivotal movement with a shalt F having a pivotal and sliding bearing in brackets F, F secured to the frame F. lhe alining stop G is swung to operative position against the resistance eta spring F and is latched in operative position in an undercut shoulder F on the bracket F the spring F 4 serving also to keep the stop G in latched position. Operative connection between the stop G and lever D is established by means of a bail-like lever I hingedly mounted by means of brackets I I on the "front wall oil? the channel C. The upper arm of thisbaillever enters a horizontal bore D in a vertical shoulder of the lever D tor movement therewith; the lower arm of the bail-lever terminates in line with the pivot of the alining stop G. When the lever D is forced out of the channel C by the matrices as explained, the lower arm of the bail-lever I will simultaneously force the alinement stop G from engagement with the latching shoulder F 7 and the spring F 4 will cause the stop G to swing to inoperative position, all as illustrated in Fig. 4. In machines employing only'matrices of the two-letter kind the middle M and upper l\ 3 mold grooves will suffice for engaging such matrices with the mold and a secondary alinement stop will not be required; and in machines employing the matrices in three positions the primary stop G need not be automatically retractable as above described, for only when the two stops are employed together would the al normal condition be liable to result; and since in certain circumstances it may be desirable to have the matrices in raised position in the channel C while one stop G remains operative, it may therefore be found desirable to bend the lower arm oi. the bail-lever I to non-operative position or even to eliminate the bail-lever on machines employing the two alinement stops.

The secondary alinement stop H is carried by the elevator E, being secured to the inner end of a stud H which is longitudinally slidable in'the elevator head, and is provided with an operating knob II at its outer end. A springI-I serves to press the stop I-l upward against the adjustment screws E E when the stop is operative,and when it is turned to inoperative position the same spring presses it upward between the adj ustment screws and against tne elevator head. The knob H has a notch H -which is engaged by the end of a centrally-pivoted trigger-latch J when the stop is operative. When the latchJ is disengaged from the notch H a springH serves to move the stop II to inoperative position. It the lever D is forced out of the channel C in the manner explained, the free end thereof will be beneath the free end of the latch .l and when the elevator E descends the latch will strike the lever and rock on its pivot J thus freeing the knob H and causing the stop H to move to inoperative position as in Fig. 4. When the latch is thus freed from the notch II it is pulled backward by means oi a spring J 3 so that its free end will not engage the lever D when the elevator E ascends. For this purpose the pivot J is rigid in the latch J and moves in the slot J in which it has a hearing. Vertical movement of the tree end oi the lever D is prevented by means of a pin 0 and slot I) connection. I 1

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 three spacers S are shown as driven up their full expansive dis tance, the sleeve part remaining vertically stationary in the first elevator and the wedge being the dri en part. In Fig. 7 is also shown a .spacer with the wedge in normal position. It will be apparent that if the wedge driver K were permitted to rise as far as the end of the spacer in Fig. 5 while the spacer remained held in the lower position shown in Fig. 6, it would cause damage by striking the inatrices and the thin lower edge of the spacer sleeve S likewise, it the driver were adjusted to permit it to rise to the position indicated in Fig. 6, damage would ensue if the spacers were held in the position shown in Fig. 7.

It is for this reason that the driving distance of the driver Khas heretofore been limited and such matrices are o t necessity held at the higher casting levels as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.; also, matrices having two or three unall characters thereon for selective use ihould receive thesame spacing regardless of their position relative to the mold. In order that the desired result may be attained I provide as follows:

. A banking bar L having .sets of stepped and recessed shoulders L L L is itseli banked beneath protruding parts F of the frame F and is supported and guided for longitudinal adjustment in suitably notched straps L fastened to the frame F. The driver K is supported in usual manner on the ends of the driving rods K K which are actuated by levers under control of springs and cams (not shown) all in the'well known manner. in their driving action the rods K K are spring actuated in order that they may rise varying distances according to the required expansion of the spacers as determined by the degree of looseness in the line of matrices between the casing jaws P, Q; hence, the driver K rises its extreme distance only in the event of a loose line of matrices. The shoulders L L L are the same vertical distance apart as the grooves M M M in the mold. To cooperate with these shoulders each. driving rod is provided with a tapered shoulder K If the lowest shoulder L is above the tapered shoulder K the movement of the driver is thereby limited to co-operate with the spacers when in their lowest position as in Fig. 7 in like manner the middle shoulder L co-operates with the middle groove M in the mold, and the highest shoulder L co-operates with the highest groove M in the mold. In order that the appropriate shoulders onthe bar L may be above the tapered shoulders K when the elevator E descends to a predetermined one or its three levels, the bar L is under control of a pivoted lever N having a crank arm N which engages a groove 0 running vertically on the back of the elevator E except that its upper end is shaped as a cam O to impart movement to the banking bar K when the elevator approaches its lower level. If the elevator descends its extreme distance by reason of the alinement stops G, H being non-operative then the cam-groove (Fig. 9) will deflect the lever N a corresponding distance and place the bar K in the position shown in Fig. ll and in the upper position of Fig. 8. It a single alinementstop is operative beneath the elevator head, then the bar L will occupy is particularly objectionable if the matrices its middle position as shown in the middle the driver K may rise to its highest level with the tapered .shoulders K engaging the highest shoulders L on thebar'L. With the drivingdistance of the driver K thus regu latedit will be apparent that the spacers may have theirfull range of expansion regardless of the level at which they are held by the first -elevator as determined by the use or omission of one or both of the alinement stops.

Having thus described my improvements, their operation and the advantages of their use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a typographical slug-casting machine in combination with an assembler in which matrices may be assembled at selective levels, a mold, a vertically movable carrier for presenting a line of matrices to said mold at selective levels, an intermediate channel through which said line of matricesis conveyed from said assembler to a selective level in said carrier, and an alinement stop for limiting the descent of said carrier in front of said mold, means operable by the movement of said line of matrices through said intermediate channel whereby said alinement stop will be caused to move from its operative position in the event that said line of matrices is presented to said carrier at level in conflict with the level at which said line of matrices should be presented to said mold as determined by said alinement stop when in operative position.

2. In a typographical slug-casting machine in combination with a mold having grooves for engaging matrices at selected levels, an elevator for presenting said matrices to said mold at a predetermined level, an alinement stop carried by said elevator to and from a position in front of said mold for controlling the level at which saidmat-rices may be presented to said mold, an assembler in which matrices may be assembled at selected levels, and an intermediatechannel through which said matrices are conveyed from said assembler to said elevator, means whereby said ali'nement stop is automatically rendered nonetleetive in the event that said matrices are assembled and transferred at a level in conflict therewith, said means being an element operable in said intermediate channel and capable of being displaced by said matrices when in said channel at a conflicting level, and an element on said elevator for locking said .alinement' stop in ellective position, whereby the descent of said elevator will cause said l0ck ing element to release said alinementstop by contact thereof with said intermediate channel element when moved by the matrices in said intermediate channel, thus moving said alinement stop to non-effective position.

3. A combination and structure as setforth in claim 2, and including also a stationary frame on which the elevator therein recited is mounted, an additional alinement stop mounted on said frame for use in co-operation with the alinement' stop carried by said ele vator, and means whereby both or" said alinement stops may be rendered non-cii'eetive when the movable element associated with the intermediate channel is displaced by the matrices in said channel.

4. In a typographical slug-castin machine in combination, a mold having matrix engaging grooves, matrices capable of engaging a selected one of said grooves, a matrix elevator capable of being stopped at different levels for presenting said matrices to a selected groove in said mold, expansible spacers carried bycsaid elevator in common with said matrices, a driver for expanding said spacers, and means controlled by said elevator whereby the extent of movement of said driver Will be limited to conform with the level at which said matrices are held by said elevator in relation to said mold.

Signed at Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, this 28th da oi September 1926.

GEOR E-E. MAR-LATT. 

